CAN HUMANS BE CREATED FROM CHEMICALS?

CAN HUMANS BE CREATED FROM CHEMICALS ?

(Information collected from newspaper Times of India)

     The answer to the above question from many scientists is yes. A synthetic human genome potentially could make it possible to create humans who lack biological parents- raising the spectre, for instance, of made-to-order human beings with special genetic enhancements. A group of 25 scientists on Thursday (02-06-2016) proposed an ambitious project to create a synthetic human genome, or genetic blue print, in an endeavour that is bound to raise concerns over the extent to which human life can or should be engineered. A synthetic genome would involve using chemicals to create the D N A present in human chromosomes.

     They said they hoped to get $100 million in public and private funding to launch the projet this year and expects total costs of less than $3 billion. According to scientists the project includes growing transplantable human organs, engineering immunity to viruses, engineering cancer resistance, and accelerating vaccine and drug development using human cells and organs. They would also consider ethical, legal and social implications on the project, which is likely to take a period of about 10 years. The new project would involve not reading but writing the human genome – synthesizing all three billion units of D N A from chemicals.

     But such an attempt would raise ethical issues. Could scientists create humans with certain kinds of traits, perhaps people born and bred to be soldiers? Or might it be possible to make copies of specific people? “Would it be okay to sequence and synthesize Einstein’s genome? All these matters need great consideration. Only future will reveal what is going to happen.